International recognition of the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people is an important and vital step in the process of internationalization of the Palestinians struggle for independence, freedom and equality. It may possibly strengthen the Palestinians struggle against the occupation and hand over the responsibility for ending the occupation and eliminating racial discrimination to the international community.

Nevertheless, mere declaration of statehood in the West Bank and Gaza Strip is incapable of ending decades of occupation and racial discrimination based on legal mechanisms that match the UN definition of apartheid, to solve the refugee problem or to lead to civil equality between Jews and Palestinians citizens of Israel. These issues can only be resolved in a just agreement to end the occupation while maintaining the basic individual and collective rights of Palestinians, wherever they reside.

The Palestinian people has inalienable rights, including the right of return, right to self determination and national independence. The right to self-determination is a collective right of all Palestinians, regardless of geographic location. These rights have been previously recognized by the UN as immutable. In order that the initiative succeed in producing a significant transformation in the Palestinian struggle and create new political alliances, it must demand the right of return of refugees and the rights of the Palestinian citizens of Israel.

CWP accentuates that any diplomatic initiative must maintain the status of the PLO as the official representative of the Palestinian people in the UN and in other international institutions; to protect and promote the rights of the Palestinian people as a whole. The PLO is recognized as representing the Palestinians in the international arena, and draws its legitimacy from the Palestinians in exile, in Israel and in the occupied territories, as well as from recognition by the Arab League and the UN itself. We stress that any appeal to ratify the right of self determination of the Palestinians must not undermine the status of the PLO as the representative of all Palestinians. In particular, we are concerned with the representation of Palestinian women and men who do not live in the West Bank and Gaza.

We call for ending the occupation, maintaining the Palestinians right of return and the right to resist the occupation by all legitimate and popular forms of resistance acceptable by international norms. We maintain and reiterate our call upon the international community to exert pressure on Israel until it meets obligations under international law and end the occupation.

Approximately 650 evacuation and demolition suites are being held against citizens of Jaffa. The majority are Palestinian. City residents are demanding an end to the discrimination and theft, and a quick solution to the lack of housing.

Residents of Jaffa, in participation with a wide coalition of Arab and Jewish organizations marched the city streets on Saturday (2/4) in commemoration of the 35th Land Day.

Titled “Jaffa Endangered”, the event took place after a long line of Land Day demonstrations, in Lod, Aaraba, and in al-Arakib- an unrecognized Beduin village that has been destroyed 21 times since July, and has become the symbol of the struggle against the theft of Palestinian Land. Land Day has long ceased to be a historic memory, and has again become an everyday reality of struggle against house demolitions and the continuing effort to expel the Arab residents and “swapping” them with Jews, in many mixed cities; Jaffa, Lod, Ramle, and Jerusalem. The demonstration organizers are calling to an end of the deliberate policies of theft and expulsion, implemented by the Israeli government; From the southern al-Arakib to Zefat in the north

The lack of housing keeps the Jaffa residents in fear. The Development Authority, Amidar, is handling approximately 500 evacuation and demolition suites in Jaffa. The majority of the suites are against Palestinian residents. Halamish, a municipal construction company, is handling over 300 evacuation cases in the Tel-Aviv area- over half are in Jaffa. The residents of Jaffa called on the Housing and Construction Office to uphold the agreement to build 400 housing units for he Arab residents of Jaffa, that was sealed in 1996.

Eilat Maoz, Coordinator of the Coalition of Women for Peace and a resident of Jaffa: “In the past, Land Day commemorated specific events of land confiscation, however, over the years the state’s methods have evolved to the degree that land confiscation and house demolition is an everyday reality. As women in an organization that specializes in field work we work with many women in Lod, Ramle, al-Arakib and other places, who’s families live in constant fear of expulsion and the daily experience of the apartheid policies of the Israeli government. Just as the institutionalized racism in South Africa, the Israeli institutionalized racism will also fall.”

Sami Abu-Shehadde, Chairman of the Board of Darna- the Popular Committee in Jaffa: “Thelack of housing in Jaffa is only getting worse in the last few years. The policies of the Israel Land Administration, the Housing and Construction Office, and the Tel-Aviv-Jaffa Municipality are generally destructive for Jaffa and specifically to its Arab population. The reality of Jaffa is an economic transfer. The meaning of these words- demolition of homes and expulsions- in Jaffa is the destruction of the lives of thousands of local Arab citizens. The construction of a settlement in the heart of the Ajami neighborhood, in an area with a large majority of Arab residents, is a ticking time bomb. The settlers, who believe in separation between Jews and Arabs as a way of life, aren’t capable of living in mixed cities without leading us all into disaster.”

Participating organizations: Bimkom – Planners for Planning Rights, Darna – The Popular Committee for Protection of the Right to Land and Housing in Jaffa, The Orthodox Association for Charity in Jaffa, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, The Islamic Council, Tarabut-Hitharbut, The Islamic Movement (southern section), The Islamic Movement (northern section), Solidarity Sheik Jerrah, Coalition of Women for Peace, Rabita – The Assosiation for Jaffa Arabs, Doctors for Human Rights, The Jaffa Youth Movement.

Following the Killing of protestor in Bil’in 30 Israeli women’s organizations sent an urgent call to the government, protesting the use of weapons to disperse popular demonstrations in the West Bank

Women’s organizations accuse the Israeli army of trying to plaster and disseminate false information regarding the circumstances of the death of Jawaher Abu Rahmah last Friday in Bil’in.

The organizations will join the weekly demonstration against the Wall this Friday in Bili’in.

According to the organizations, “the death of Jawaher Abu Rahmah is the result of repeated attacks of the army on non-violent protestors demonstrating against the theft of their land.” The organizations expressed a firm position of support for the protesters and family, according to which Abu-Rahmah’s death was caused as a result of tear gas inhalation, in contrast to versions circulated in recent days by the IDF spokesperson.

The weekly demonstration in Bil’in this Friday (7.1.2011), is expected to be larger than the usual, as women from Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and south of the country, are planned to come to express solidarity with the struggle of women, children and men

against the Wall. Among the participating organizations: Coalition of Women for Peace, Progressive Women’s Front, TANDI, Machsom Watch, Aswat, Kayan and New Profile.

Dr. Dalit Baum, member of the Coalition of Women for Peace, who initiated the petition stated: “Abu-Rahmah’s murder is a form of violence against women, and it is plastered in the exact same way as other forms of violence against women are. As in all such cases, we, women’s organizations, will not silence until those responsible will be held accountable. “

Mahasen Rabous, Coordinator of the Coalition of Women for Peace: “nearly thirty women’s organizations have expressed today support for the struggle in Bil’in, and for the Palestinian struggle for liberation from occupation. In this brave move, these organizations prove that solidarity between women does not stop at the checkpoint”

Background:

The sense of accomplishment in the Israeli women’s movement following the conviction of ex-president Moshe Katzav gave way during the weekend to shock and outrage following the killing Jawaher Abu-Rahmah. Abu Rahmah, a resident of the village of Bil’in, participated in the village’s weekly protest against the wall and died after suffering from severe tear gas poisoning.

Jawaher Abu-Rahmah, 36, a sister to Bassem Abu-Rahmah, who was killed in April 2009 from a high-velocity tear gas canister shot directly towards him, was an active and appreciated figure in the village and used to organize conferences and workshops on feminist issues. During a demonstration Friday, 31.12.10, Abu-Rahmah inhaled large amounts of tear gas, was rushed to the hospital suffering from severe poisoning. Doctors at the Ramallah hospital fought for her life during the night. She died on early Saturday morning.

The Declaration Reads:

We, the undersigned women’s organizations, express deep shock over the death of Jawaher Abu-Rahmah, 36, a resident of the village of Bil’in, who was killed as a result of tear gas poisoning fired by the Israeli army during a demonstration against the Wall.

Her death is a result of repeated attacks on behalf of the Israeli army, against unarmed civilians who are struggling against the theft of their lands. These attacks have led so far to the death of 21 demonstrators, and the injury of thousands.

We call upon the Israeli government to immediately cease the use of weapons against demonstrators: women, children and men.

We express solidarity with our sisters across the Palestine and Israel and support their inalienable right to non-violent protest.

“…It is already 20 months that the village Bil’in has been fighting for its life and future – a long, hard struggle, often frustrating. On Friday, 27th October 2006 a large demonstration will be held in Bil’in, for the first time in a long period. Please join us and come to support the people of Bil’in in their just struggle in this critical time.”

So… I went back to Bil’in.

After months of being away, speaking abroad about the demonstrations against the wall and their importance, showing pictures of the demonstrators’ creativity and courage, the army’s brutality, suddenly I did not really want to be there.

Maybe it was seeing Lymor in another demonstration the previous day (Lymor was shot in the head in Bil’in: http://mishtara.org/blog/?p=70), maybe it was the change of perspective – from afar, these demonstrations seem so much larger then life and less dusty… and maybe it was just what it felt it was – the dry mouth, the burn in the pit of my stomach the smell of tear gas in the air, and all that just from reading the invitation.

After a sleepless night, I took a sweater and a water bottle (the things that make us feel safer…) and joined about 200 other Israelis on different routes to Bil’in. So many people! and so many dear friends… some chatty, some somber. Maybe it was just me, but on our complicated way to Bil’in, all seemed to be focused on the same things – the smell, the sound, the future pain of violence. What is it about violence that catches our attention so fully, that touches us so deeply, that makes it so… so serious? Am I serious? how serious am I? I didn’t know I was that serious…

R, a good and wise friend, was my partner. Let’s take it slowly, I asked, let’s march in the back, maybe stay in the village… we stood while the men leaders of all Palestinian parties and Israeli groups marched by, followed by the organizers and the activists carrying ladders to be used to cross the wire fences, and the young men with flags and chants… I watched them in awe and admiration and envy and guilt, like a woman watching her champions going into battle, or a glorious anciet ceremony of sacrifice and victory.

We were climbing up the road towards the fence, in the tail of an impressive and colorful march, when we started hearing some blasts, coming from behind us. The soldiers. Behind us.

I stop. Suddenly I cannot breathe. I cannot go on, cannot go back. On both sides of the road there are ancient olive trees. I am amazed to see some women and children picking the olives. One woman, standing on a ladder over a tree near the road, is smiling at us, inviting us to join the children below, collecting the olives into bags. I take their picture. Feeling guilty again, for being a tourist, for stalling, for not helping at least with the picking.

The mass of the demonstration is before us, up on the hill just in front of a row of soldiers and a gate in the fence. To the side we can see a group of activists using the ladders to cross the barbed wire; they are being shot at, gassed, concussion grenades go off in blasts at their feet. The blasts make me very white and heavy. I tell R to go on. Leave me here, go on to the front. I do not want to shame her by my cowardice. You are missing the whole demonstration, I tell her, and she says, the demonstration is here too.

Finally she takes my hand and we go on. We go up the hill and join the rest of the demonstration. People are chatting and chanting and waving flags and interviewing and watching the soldiers and each other intently. The activists who crossed over the fence are being chased by the soldiers. I stand among friends on that hill, and they are all alert and alive and tense and now I can relax.

When the first round of tear gas reaches us, we are prepared for retreat. I keep calculating wind directions and shouting suggestions to whoever wants to hear them. But the wind keeps changing. The blasts get nearer. We go down the hill and down the road to the village. Slowly. And then faster, and finally, as usual, we run some. I am reminded of other demonstrations. Stumbling through stony fields, falling down, blinded by the gas, choking, being chased by guns and horses and batons and fear, running for my life. But not this time. This time, being more afraid then ever, I am not surprised by the attack, it is almost a relief to actually smell the foul thing. I am alive.

Some gas canisters shoot over our heads and explode on the road blocking our escape. We go into the olive grove to avoid them, and there they are, the olive picking family. The children have some cloth covering their mouths and noses from the gas. They are picking olives.

Later, when the rest of the demonstrators were chased off by more and more rounds of tear gas and concussion grenades and rubber-coated bullets, we could still hear the continuing blasts and shots aimed at some stone-throwing children. Some wounded, some arrested and I was shopping for really cheap Labane and Yogurt to take home for the weekend.

Only much much later, on the bus home, I realized that in all this time I used my camera only once, and that the only picture I took was of the woman picking olives.